Every person in Europe and North America wastes between 95-115 kg of food a year; consumers in sub-Saharan Africa, south and south-eastern Asia, each throw away only 6-11 kg a year

Once food arrives at retail level, food is often wasted due to an over-emphasis on appearance

Just 1/4 of the food currently lost and wasted globally would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world

Another current UK report – Global Food; Waste Not, Want Not – suggests that half the food bought in Europe and the US is thrown away. “It is also an unnecessary waste of the land, water and energy resources that were used in the production, processing and distribution of this food.” says Dr Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

To really take in those staggering facts CNN has prepared a good infographic visualizing the chain from field to fork to landfill. It shows where waste occurs and could be a first step towards reducing the amount of wasted resources. But at the end of the day, it’s down to us as consumers too: If we keep insisting on a large selection of fresh products all day year around and won’t consider making more sustainable choices businesses won’t change their ways. Here are some tips about what you can do as a consumer. It’s time for a new appreciation for the fuel that keeps our bodies going and a global effort to distribute our rich output more evenly and fairly.